Furniture product

ABSTRACT

A furniture product having a plurality of uprights and at least one platform supported on said uprights wherein at least one of said uprights comprises at least one pair of sections disposed one above the other, a lower section of said at least one pair having a tubular upper end socket in which is received al insert in which is fixed a lower end of a connector element, the connector element extending through an aperture in the platform and an upper end of the connector element being fixed in an insert which is received in a tubular lower end socket of an upper section of said pair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a furniture product and particularly, but not exclusively, to furniture known as knock down furniture or ready to assemble (RTA) furniture, which is sold in a form which requires assembly to produce the furniture product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved furniture product whereby assembly is facilitated.

[0003] According to the present invention we provide a furniture product having a plurality of uprights and at least one platforn supported on said uprights wherein at least one of said uprights comprises at least one pair of sections disposed one above the other, a lower section of said at least one pair having a tubular upper end socket in which is received an insert in which is fixed a louver end of a connector element, the connector element extending through an aperture in the platform and an upper end of the connector element being fixed in an insert which is received in a tubular lower end socket of an upper section of said pair.

[0004] Each upright may comprise a plurality of pairs of sections, a lower section of each of said pairs having a tubular upper end socket in which is received an insert in which is fixed a lower end of a connector element, the connector element extending through an aperture in an associated platform and an upper end of the connector element being fixed in an insert which is received in a tubular lower end socket of an upper section of each of said pairs

[0005] The furniture product may have a top platform which is secured in position by a headed fastener, the head of which is disposed on the upper surface of the top platform and which has a shank passing downwardly through an aperture in the top platform and being received in an insert in an upper tubular socket of the uppermost upright section.

[0006] The connector element may be provided with a screw thread for threaded engagement with each insert of a pair of sections.

[0007] Each insert may comprise a shank having at one end a head which has an under surface and an upper surface, the under surface projecting beyond the shank and the insert having a threaded passage therein to receive the threads of said connector element.

[0008] The under surface may project beyond the shank by an amount at least approximating to the wall thickness of the tubular socket.

[0009] The shank may be provided with at least one rib for an interference fit with the socket.

[0010] The under surface of the head may be adapted to engage a top of a wall defining said socket and the other side of the head being adapted to engage a platform.

[0011] The insert may be made of plastics material provided with a threaded metal element for engagement with the connector element.

[0012] Alternative of the insert may be made of metal.

[0013] A reinforcing element may be provided disposed between an insert and a platform.

[0014] The reinforcing element may of channel section with the base of the channel disposed between the insert and the platform and the limbs of the channel extending downwardly.

[0015] A lower end platform of an upright may be fastened to an upright by a head of the fastener being engaged on a lower side of the platform and a shank of the fastener extending upwardly through an aperture in the platform and being fixed in an insert provided in a lower end socket of the upright.

[0016] In either the second statement of the invention or the preceding statement of invention, the insert may be provided with a threaded passage and the shank of the fastener may be threaded for engagement with said passage.

[0017] At least one of said uprights may comprise a further pair of sections disposed one above the other, a lower section of said further pair having a member fixed thereto, having at least one bore therein in which is fixed a lower end of a connector element, the connector element extending through an aperture in a platform and an upper end of the connector element being fixed in an insert which is received in a tubular lower end socket of an upper section of said pair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0018] The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a furniture product embodying the invention,

[0020]FIG. 2 is a view of part of FIG. 1 to an enlarged scale,

[0021]FIG. 2A is a view similar to part of FIG. 2, but showing a modification.

[0022]FIG. 3 is a side elevation of an insert for use in the furniture product of FIGS. 1 and 2, and

[0023]FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a stud for use in the furniture product of FIGS. 1 and 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0024] Referring now to the Figures, a furniture product, in the present example a computer table, is indicated generally at (10) and comprises rear uprights (11-13) and front uprights (14-16). These uprights support four platforms (17-20).

[0025] The upright (11) comprises a lower section (11 a) which provides a first pair with on intermediate section (11 b) whilst the intermediate section (11 b) provides one section of a second pair with an uppermost section (11 c). Similarly, the front upright (14) comprises a lower section (14 a) which provides a first pair with an intermediate section (14 b) whilst the intermediate section (14 b) provides a second pair with an intermediate section (14 c).

[0026] The upright (12) comprises a lower section (12 a) which provides a first pair with an intermediate section (12 b) whilst the intermediate section (12 b) provides a second pair with an uppermost section (12 c). Similarly the front upright (15) provides a first pair by virtue of a lower section (15 a) and an intermediate section (15 b) whilst section (15 b) provides a second pair with an upper section (15 c).

[0027] The rear upright (13) comprises a lower section (13 a) which provides a first pair with an intermediate section (13 b) whilst the section (13 b) provides a second pair with an uppermost section (13 c). The front upright (16) similarly has a lower section (16 a) which provides first pair with an intermediate section (16 b) whilst section (16 b) provides a second pair with an uppermost section (16 c).

[0028] The connections between the sections of each pair are the same. FIG. 2 illustrates the connection between the sections (11 a) and (14 a) with the intermediate sections (11 b) and (14 b) respectively.

[0029] In the present example each section is made of a tube with the lower sections (11 a), (13 a) and (14 a), (16 a) being bent as illustrated in FIG. 1 and provided with castors (21) at their lower ends so that the furniture product can be easily moved. Alternatively, the lower sections may be provided with feet instead of casters. If desired, one or more of the sections may be made of solid material for the part of their length and provided with tubular end portions to provide tubular sockets to enable connection with adjacent sections to provide the pairs described hereinbefore.

[0030] Hereafter only the connection between the sections (11 a) and (11 b) will be described in detail, but it should appreciated that the connection between all pairs of sections are the same.

[0031] The section (11 a) has an upper tubular socket in which is received an insert (22) best shown in FIG. 3. The insert (22) comprises a cylindrical shank part (23) having at one end a head part (24) which has an under surface (25) and an upper surface (26). The under surface (25) projects beyond the shank (23) by an amount approximating to the wall thickness of the tubular socket in the section (11 a). If desired the head part may project more or less than described above and may be of any suitable shape, such as oval or irregular.

[0032] The shank (23) is provided with four frustoconical circumferentially extending, deformable ribs (23 a) so that the insert can be pushed into the tubular socket with the ribs (23 a) being deformed to provide an interference fit with the socket to provide a rigid connection therebetween and, because of the frustoconical shape, resisting removal once assembled. If desired, the ribs may be of other shape and disposition. For example, they may be axially disposed and arranged at circumferentially spaced positions around the shank 23. The insert (22) is provided with a central bore which is tapped with a suitable screw thread to receive a double ended threaded stud (27) provided with end screw threaded parts (28, 29) see FIG. 4. If desired, the insert and/or the stud may be configured so that insertion of the stud into the insert causes radial expansion of the shank 23 to provide or increase said interference fit.

[0033] The insert 22 may be made of plastics material, provided with a metal threaded element to provide the threaded bore. Alternatively, the insert 22 may be made of metal.

[0034] A threaded part (28) of a stud is screwed into the threaded bore provided in the insert engaged in the section (11 a) and then there is placed on the surface (26) of the insert a reinforcing member (30) which is of channel configuration having a lease part (31) and two downwardly extending limbs (32). The lowermost platform (17) is then disposed on the top of the reinforcing member (30) with the stud (27) extending through an aperture (34) provided therein.

[0035] An insert (22) as described hereinbefore is then received in a tubular socket provided at the lower end of the intermediate section (11 a) and this section together with its insert is rotated into threaded engagement with the stud (27).

[0036] A further insert (22) is then received in a tubular socket provided at the upper end of the intermediate section (11 b) and a stud (27) as described hereinbefore is inserted into threaded engagement with the insert (22) and the platform (18) is disposed on the surface (26) of the insert (22) provided at the upper end of the section (11 b).

[0037] A similar procedure is adopted for all &he other uprights (13, 16). As a result the platforms are disposed and clamped between the “upper” surfaces 26 of the inserts.

[0038] The uppermost platform (20) is fastened to the uppermost ends of the uprights (11-13) and (14-16) by engagement of a conventional counter sink headed fastener, the head of which is disposed in a counter sink provided on the upper surface (36) of the uppermost platform (20) and the shank of which extends through apertures (37) into inserts (22) provided at the upper ends of the uppermost sections. If desired, the uppermost platform 20 may be fastened to the uppermost ends of the uprights. Any desired fastener comprising a shank for reception in an insert and having an enlarged portion for engagement with the upper surface of the uppermost platform may be used. The enlarged portion may comprise, for example, a bookshelf end or any other suitable component. Similarly the intermediate uprights (15, 16) at their lower ends, are provided with inserts, (22) which received the shanks of screw threaded counter sink headed fasteners passed upwardly through file lowermost platform (17)

[0039] It should be appreciated that, if desired, the precise sequence of assembly of the inserts and studs may be varied from that described hereinbefore within the constraints imposed by the ability to assemble the furniture product.

[0040] In a modification the lower most sections (11 a, 13 a, 14 a, 16 a) are not provided with an insert (22) instead they have the reinforcing members (30) welded or otherwise fixed to the upper ends of the sections and the reinforcing members (30) are provided with threaded bore (30 a) in which the lower ends (28) of studs (27) are engaged as illustrated in FIG. 2a. Other parts of the furniture product are as described hereinbefore.

[0041] Although the particular case of a computer table having four platforms have been described hereinbefore if desired the furniture product may be any other suitable furniture product having the features of claim 1.

[0042] In the present specification “comprises” means “includes or consists of” and “comprising” means “including or consisting of”.

[0043] The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof: 

1. A furniture product having a plurality of uprights and at least one platform supported on said uprights wherein at least one of said uprights comprises at least one pair of sections disposed one above the other, a lower section of said at least one pair having a tubular upper end socket in which is received an insert in which is fixed a lower end of a connector element, the connector element extending through an aperture in the platform and an upper end of the connector element being fixed in an insert which is received in a tubular lower end socket of an upper section of said pair.
 2. A furniture product according to claim 1 wherein each upright comprises a plurality of pairs of sections, a lower section of each of said pairs having a tubular upper end socket in which is received an insert in which is fixed a lower end of a connector element, the connector element extending through an aperture in an associated platform and an upper end of the connector element being fixed in an insert which is received in a tubular lower end socket of an upper section of each of said pairs.
 3. A furniture product according to claim 1 wherein the furniture product has a top platform which is secured in position by a headed fastener, the head of which is disposed on the upper surface of the top platform and which has a shank passing downwardly through an aperture in the top platform and being received in an insert in an upper tubular socket of the uppermost upright section.
 4. A furniture product according to claim 1 wherein the connector element is provided with a screw thread for threaded engagement with each insert of a pair of sections.
 5. A furniture product according to claim 1 wherein each insert comprises a shank having at one end a head which has an under surface and an upper surface, the under surface projecting beyond the shank and the insert having a threaded passage therein to receive the threads of said connector element.
 6. A furniture product according to claim 5 wherein the under surface projects beyond the shank by an amount at least approximating to the wall thickness of the tubular socket.
 7. A furniture product according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the shank is provided with at least one rib for an interference fit with the socket.
 8. A furniture product according to any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein the under side of the head is adapted to engage a top of a wall defining said socket and the under surface of the head is adapted to engage a platform.
 9. A furniture product according to claim 1 wherein the insert is made of plastics material provided with a threaded metal element for engagement with the connector element. Alternative of the insert may be made of metal.
 10. A furniture product according to claim 1 wherein a reinforcing element is provided disposed between an inset and a platform.
 11. A furniture product according to claim 10 wherein the reinforcing element is of channel section with the base of the channel disposed between the insert and the platform and the limbs of the channel extending downwardly.
 12. A furniture product according to claim 1 wherein a lower end platform of an upright is fastened to an upright by a head of the fastener being engaged on a lower side of the platform and a shank of the fastener extending upwardly through an aperture in the platform and being fixed in an insert provided in a lower end socket of the upright.
 13. A furniture product according to claim 2 wherein the insert is provided with a threaded passage and the shank of the fastener is threaded for engagement with said passage.
 14. A furniture product according to claim 12 wherein the insert is provided with a threaded passage and the shank of the fastener is threaded for engagement with said passage.
 15. A furniture product according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said uprights comprises a further pair of sections disposed one above the other, a lower section of said further pair having a member fixed thereto, having at least one bore therein in which is fixed a lower end of a connector element, the connector element extending through an aperture in a platform and an upper end of the connector element being fixed in an insert which is received in a tubular lower end socket of an upper section of said pair. 